1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a tensile thread for tooth care, particularly for cleaning the spaces between teeth. The thread is to be mounted in a stirrup-type or fork-type holder. The ends of the thread have thickened portions, preferably in the form of spherical knots which rest as abutments when the thread is placed in the holder on the stirrup-type or fork-type arms thereof. The present invention further relates to a container for receiving tensile threads and to a holder for using the tensile thread.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Devices for tooth care, particularly for cleaning between teeth, are known. These devices include a stirrup-type or fork-type holder with freely cantilevering arms whose ends hold a tightened silk or plastic thread. The free ends of the arms each have a slot into which the ends of the thread can be placed. The thread is supported by winding a portion thereof several times around the arm, as described in U.S. Pat. Nos. 2,650,598 and 2,180,522 and in German Offenlegungsschrift No. 28 42 404.
Instead of being wound around the arm, the thread received by the holder may have knot-type thickened portions at the ends which prevent the thread from sliding out of the slots which receive the thread. These knots have the function of abutments. For regulating or adjusting the tension of the threads, the arms of the holder supporting the thread can be moved relative to each other by means of screws or spreading members, as disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 3,631,869.
As described in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,508,125 and 4,512,354 and British Pat. No. 525,528, it is also known to provide the holder with a hollow grip and to place a roll of this thread into the hollow space with the piece of thread required for tooth cleaning being pulled from this roll.
Finally, U.S. Pat. No. 3,769,396 and German Offenlegungsschrift No. 22 14 244 describe known arrangements and devices for manufacturing the above-described knot-like thickened portions at the ends of the threads.
Starting from the above-described prior art, it is an object of the present invention to provide a tensile thread which can be stored and removed from the storage as needed for the use of the thread. In addition, the thread is to be hygienically stored and the holder proper is to be constructed in such a way that it supplements the thread and can be inserted in the holder for removing the threads stored in the holder without requiring complicated manipulations.